APPENDIX

439 Federal Building,

Denver, Colo., December 21, 1917.

Hon. W. O. Atkeson, Butler, Mo.

My Dear Sir: Yours of Dec. 13 rec'd and in reply will try to give you my recollection of some of the things you ask about. To explain my present situation I will say that I have just arrived at the Denver office after a field season and have not had the use even of my own notes in matters of Mo. history, so any statements I may now make should be accepted only after verification.

As to the precise date when "Marais des Cygnes" as the name of this main upper fork of the Osage was used can only be fixed in a general way. So far as I know now your finding in treaty of 1825 is first official use of name. But the name is much older than that. The French Canadian voyagener, coureurs des bois, or trapper, who overran this whole country that borders the Missouri, Osage and tributaries as early as 1700, trapping and trading with the Indians, gave the beautiful names to the streams which they now bear. Of course this fork is also known as the "Osage" and the other fork coming in just below Papinsville as the "Little Osage," and I believe that the Presbyterian Mission at Harmony when reports were made referred to this stream as the Osage, and no doubt you will find the people living along this stream today often refer to it as the Osage and that the names are used interchangeably. (Is this true?) (No. The Author.)

The "Marais des Cygnes," means in English, "River of the Swans," and no doubt was so named by the early trappers because of the great numbers of "Swans," or Sand Hill Cranes and Brants, (Branta Canadensis) and birds of this kind that frequented its reedy sloughs and ponds. As you state the earliest official mention of this name is in the treaty of 1825 with the Osages, but I truly believe the name to have been in use for 125 years prior to this time. It has been my great pleasure to have spent some time among the remnants of the voyagener, that trapper tribe that may now be found in the Northland, along the Mackenzie, Porcupine, Yukon and tributary waters, living much as did their prototype on the Osage, running their trap lines in the winter months. Around his campfire at night I have listened to his tales of adventure, have employed him as guide, have had him draw maps for me of the country ahead of my party, and I know the way he does this from memory, and these maps are useful to the explorer, altho as "maps" they are misnomers. He has a peculiar way all his own. He will lay down his main stream probably as a straight line, but on that line he will give each tributary its relative position, with the name by which it is known to him, and as he is still a French Canadian his name will likely be in French. No doubt Pike carried such a map with him as he passed your way.* For proof of this I will cite the very appropriate name he gave to "Gravois" creek in Morgan Co., Mo. Now the Gravois at its mouth is as placid a stream with well defined banks and as far as Pike or any of his party on that August day would have time to examine, was just like many other streams coming into the Osage. But several miles up stream its true character is apparent and the name is very appropriate. Pike was the first to bring this name into notice, but the map that Pike carries of the Osage and its tributaries had this information on it from previous explorers. No doubt his party was hired, or many of them because of their familiarity with the upper Osage.

As a boy I lived on the Harmony Mission trail in Morgan Co. Mo. I have often wanted to map this trail from Jefferson City, or from the mouth of the Osage, where the old Indian trace commenced, to the Mission, but have never had the opportunity. Much of its entire length is now in use, and traces can be followed through the cultivated fields to this day.

The Grand Osage village in Pike's time was probably where he said it was on the prairie near the Little Osage, and in Vernon Co., but I do not now remember what details he gives. There were other villages. The Osages deserted their villages after a few years' use or when a pestilence broke out, going to a new place, as the wild tribes of the Northland do today. There is not a flat place of land near the forks of a stream or near a spring of good water in your county which does not contain a village site at some time. By looking the ground over one may find the site of the arrow-makers 'wickyup' by the conchoidal chips covering the ground, together with discarded broken arrow and spear points.

So soon as I have the opportunity to get into the main office I will take great pleasure in looking up the notes in this matter of Osage village, but the villages likely to have been noted on the land surveys, you will readily see, may not be the original of Pike's village. Just at present I can be of very little use to you, but will go you 50-50 in exchanging ideas on any part of this subject.

I would like to write you an article on the history of the survey of the State line that forms a part of the boundary of your Co. and also of the men who made the subdivision in your county and anything that you may want in that line, if you care for it. You may use anything I write as you see fit and in any way that will be useful to you.

I would like to possess a copy of the Harmony Notes if not too much trouble, and as I have time I will send you whatever I think will interest you.

Very respectfully,

David W. Eaton.

*I meant to state in this connection that could we find Pike's sketches of the country that he had it would be interesting to note the names they bore.

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War Department, The Adjustant General's Office,

Washington, December 20, 1917.

Hon. W. O. Atkeson, Butler. Mo.

Dear Sir: In response to your letter of the 7th instant, in which you state that you are engaged in writing the history of Bates county and desire to locate as definitely as possible the site of Fort Clark or Fort Osage from the records on file in the War Department, I have the honor to inclose a copy of date relative to Fort Osage, Missouri, as shown by the records on file in the War Department. 

In addition to the data referred to, an old paper on file in this office furnishes the following description of the Fort:

Fort Osage stands on an elevated bluff, commanding a beautiful view of the river, both above and below. The works are a stockade of an irregular pentagonal form, with strong log pickets perforated with loop holes; two block houses are placed at opposite angles, one of them, however, flanks one of its curtains too obliquely to be of much service in defending it. There is also a small bastion at a third angle. Within are two series of buildings for quarters, storehouses, etc.

The position of the fort is not a secure one, on account of numerous ravines and declivities that would cover an enemy within a short distance; but is such that boats ascending or descending the river must be exposed to its fire. The stream in the middle of the river, and on the opposite side is so remarkably rapid that it is in vain to contend against it with the oar or paddle. It is therefore, usually necessary for ascending boats to enter the eddy, which brings them within musket shot of the fort.

No record has been found showing location of the Grand Osage village referred to in your letter. Very respectfully,

H. T. McCain,

The Adjutant General.

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DATA RELATIVE TO FORT OSAGE, MISSOURI, AS SHOWN BY THE RECORDS ON FILE IN THE WAR DEPARTMENT.

Fort Osage was situated on the right bank of the Missouri river at the junction of the Osage river in Jackson county, Missouri, latitude 38° 40' N., near the site of the town of Sibley, Missouri.

May 17, 1808, the Secretary of War wrote to Thomas Hunt at St. Louis:

"The government having concluded to establish a trading house on the Osage river, & * * *, request you to establish a military post as a guard to each of those trading houses. * * * Each post ought to consist of 30 men * * *. A stockade work with a block house ought to be erected with barracks, &c. * * * I shall request * * * Genl. Clark to go with Mr. Sibley the other agent up the Osage River to aid him to fix on a suitable site for the house and post. You will please to send with him a party of 30 men, under a suitable officer with instructions to erect the necessary buildings and a blockade (?) work as soon as possible." (War Department Military Book No. 3.)

June 25, 1808, letter from General William Clark to Secretary of War. acknowledges receipt of letter from Secretary of War dated May 17, requesting him to accompany Mr. Sibley with the party of troops up the Osage river to fix a site for a store and post. He states that the Osage is only navigable for a short distance, and suggests that "some situation on the bank of the Missouri above that river would be more (word illegible) to the Osage tribes." (War Department, Letters Received.)

August 18, 1808, General William Clark to Secretary of War, states that Mr. Sibley has started up the Missouri with Captain Clemson and his company and that he (Clark) will soon follow and probably reach Fire Prairie on the Missouri by the time Captain Clemson and party arrive there. (War Department, Letters Received.)

September 4, 1808, Captain Clemson reported the arrival of his party and General Clark's at camp on the Missouri four miles above Fire Prairie and that "The Spot of ground for an establishment General Clark is authorized by the Secretary of War to select, which I doubt will not go on rapidly." (War Department Letters Received.)

September 6, 1808, General Clark to Secretary of War -- Letter dated from Fire Prairie relative to establishing a fort, &c. (War Department Letters Received Book. Letter charged to Indian Bureau.)

September 23, 1808, General Clark to Secretary of War -- tells of selecting site for fort near Fire Prairie and of progress made in erecting buildings, &c. (War Department Letters Received.)

Letter of William Clark to Secretary of War dated St. Louis, December 2, 1808, states "A few days ago I rec'd a letter from Capt. Clemson & the gentlemen at the establishment on the Mo., near Fire Prairie, by which I am informed that the fort at that place is nearly completed, strong & well built." (Letter on file in War Department.)

In a joint letter dated Fort Osage near Fire Prairie, on the Missouri, July 16, 1812, Captain Clemson and other officers of the 1st Regiment recommend the abandonment of Fort Osage and set forth the reasons on which their recommendation is based. (Letter on file in War Department.)

In letter dated May 14, 1813, Colonel D. Bissell, 1st Infantry, stated that he has "ordered the evacuation of the garrison of Fort Osage." (Copy of letter on file in War Department.)

Note: The Captain Clemson referred to in the foregoing memorandum was Eli B. Clemson, Captain of the 1st Infantry, United States Army.

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Smithsonian Institute, Bureau of American Ethnology,

Washington, D. C, December 21, 1917.

Dear Sir: Your inquiry of November 21 was referred to Mr. La Flesche of this Bureau and a copy of his reply is enclosed herewith. 

Very respectfully yours, 

F. W. Hodge, Ethnologist in Charge.

Mr. W. O. Atkeson, Proprietor,

The Bates County Record, Butler, Mo.

(Inclosure.)

Washington, D. C, December 18, 1917.

Mr. F. W. Hodge,

Bureau of Ethnology,

Washington, D. C.

Dear Mr. Hodge:

The letter of Mr. W. O. Atkeson of Butler Mo., which you referred to me Nov. 24, 1917, is received. In this letter Mr. Atkeson asks information as to the location of the Great Osage Indian village and of the Harmony Mission, and their nearness to or remoteness from each other.

Maj. Zebulon M. Pike who spent about fifteen days (August and September 1806) with the Osage Indians, when on his expedition to the Rockies, places the Great Osage village on the east side of the Little Osage river, near the mouth of the stream now known as the Marmiton river. The recent atlases show that the Little Osage river runs through the northwestern part of Vernon County, Mo.; therefore, there can be no doubt that the Great Osage village was situated in the land now known as Vernon County and not in Bates County. At the time of Maj. Pike's voyage up the Osage river upon his visit to the Osage Indians, the two branches of the Osage river upon which were situated the Great Osage village and later the Harmony Mission, seem not to have been known to the Europeans by any particular names, for Pike, the earliest traveler to mention these rivers, refers to the one upon which was established the mission, as the "right hand fork" and the one on which was the Great Osage village as the "left". (See page 386 of The Expeditions of Zebulon M. Pike, Coues' edition.) For a detailed description of these forts I would refer Mr. Atkeson to note 42 of the editor. (Mr. Coues, pages 385-386.)

The Harmony Mission was established in the summer of 1821 and its buildings were located on the north bank of the "right hand fork" of the Osage river. At some time between 1821 and the visit of Maj. Pike to the Osages in 1806 this "right hand fork" of the Osage river became known as the Marais des Cygnes river. Rev. Jedidiah Morse in his report to the Secretary of War on Indian affairs quotes a letter addressed to General Steele by a Mr. Newton, one of the missionaries, that was dated from Harmony, Mo., Sept. 27, 1821, in which he (Newton) states that: "Harmony is situated on the margin of the Marais de Cein river, about six miles above its junction with the Osage. This place was granted to us by the Indians in council, on the 13th of August." (1821). Mr. Morse also quotes a letter written about the same time by a Mr. Sprague, another of the missionaries, to his brother, in which he says: "We are within fifteen miles of the Great Osage Village." (See pp. 222-223 of Jedidiah Morse's Report.)

In 1831 was published "Letters on the Chickasaw and Osage Missions," by Sarah Tuttle. On page 69 of this little book she says, "The station is situated upon the north bank of a branch of the Osage river, called Marais des Cygnes, one mile from the United States' factory, or trading house, and about fifteen or twenty miles from the place where the Osage villages then were." In another place she says that the missionaries arrived at Choteau's post on August 2, 1821.

Reference is made to the Harmony Mission by Mr. Houck in his history of the state of Missouri, as follows: "In this delightful land, in 1821, the United Foreign Missionary Society established a school for the education of the Osages, on the margin of the Marais des Cygnes river about six miles from the junction of this stream with the Osage, on land granted the Society by the Indians in council, the school being situated about seventy-five miles from Fort Osage and about fifteen miles from the Great Osage village. This place was named "Harmony" and was situated within the limits of the present Bates County."

Thus it would appear from these records and from the examination of certain maps of the state of Missouri, that the Harmony Mission was situated on the Marais des Cygnes river, in Bates County, northwest of the Great Osage village which was on the Little Osage river, in Vernon County, and that the distance between the two places, on a straight line, is about eight or nine miles. The writers who speak of the distance as being about fifteen miles must have taken into account the necessary detours of the path leading from one place to the other.

Having examined all the accessible records I have failed to find any explanation as to "when and how the Marais des Cygnes river got its name." There may be some hint as to the origin of this name in Mr. R. I. Holcomb's History of Vernon County, published in 1887, a book mentioned in a note by Mr. Coues in Pike's Expedition, but the book is not carried either by the Library of the Bureau or by the Congressional Library.

Mr. Atkeson also asks "if it is not true that the Osage river begins at the confluence of the Marais des Cygnes and the Little Osage on the line or boundary of Bates and Vernon counties." Referring to these two branches, the Little Osage and the Marais des Cygnes, Mr. Coues says, in a note on page 385 of Pike's Expeditions: "The present confluence is at the point where Bates and Vernon cos. begin or cease to be separated by the meanders of the Osage, for the Little Osage runs in Vernon Co. and the main Osage, above the confluence, runs in Bates" . . . Both forks head beyond (W. of) the Missouri State line, in Kansas, in which state the main Osage river bears the name of Marais des Cygnes."

I trust that this information may be of use to Mr. Atkeson and indicate to him the records from which he may gather further details, should he need them.

Very truly yours,

Frances La Flesche.

(This letter is submitted to show the errors and confusion which exists among the alleged authorities. The courtesy due the writer of this letter forbids comment here. Our views are stated elsewhere in this volume touching the errors in the authorities cited, after examining all of them, except the little book by Sarah Tuttle which we have not read; hence further comment here is unnecessary. The Editor.) 

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United States Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Soils,

Washington, D. C, January 17, 1918.

Mr. W. O. Atkeson,

Butler, Mo.

Dear Sir:

In compliance with the request contained in your letter of the 2nd inst., I have taken some pains to look up the matter of the Osage and Marais des Cygnes Rivers.

In going back over the various maps of the state that have been published from time to time, I find there is no map of the Osage River that gives evidence of anything more accurate than mere Indian legends earlier than the one contained in Maj. Z. M. Pike's narrative of his expedition to the Rocky Mountains, which was published in 1810. In this map the lower Osage is laid down in such a way as to indicate that it had been actually surveyed even then. The name of the river is not shown on the map above the mouth of the Sac. This latter stream is called the Grand River. The map shows a forking of the stream some distance above the mouth of the Sac and close to the location of the Osage Indian village, one stream coming in from the south and the other from the northwest. It seems evident that these two branches are what are now known as the Marais des Cygnes and Little Osage Rivers, although no name is given to either of them on this map.

On the map published by one Carey in 1822 the name Osage is applied to the river even out in Kansas. There is no such term as Marais des Cygnes on any of the branches though the map would indicate that the term Osage applies to the Little Osage while the stream now called the Marais des Cygnes is shown as a small stream without any name.

A map published by E. Browne and E. Bancroft in 1827 shows the same branch of the stream as was shown on the last map and the term South Fork of the Osage is applied to the southern branch while no name is given to the northern one.

Exactly the same nomenclature and relationship is shown on H. S. Tanner's map published in 1831. The fact that the stream called South Fork of the Osage on this map is really what is now called Little Osage is indicated by the location of Harmony Mission on the unnamed branch a few miles north of the junction of the two.

On Hinton's map, published in 1832 the same nomenclature is applied to what seems to be the Little Osage. A small stream is shown which seems to be intended for what was later named the Marais des Cygnes, although the Harmony Mission is not shown.

Exactly the same thing is shown on Tanner's map of 1836 except that on this map Harmony Mission is shown in the same position that it occupied on the Tanner map of 1831.

On the map published by Bradford in 1838 the term Marais des Cygnes first appears. It is applied to the small stream that on all the maps published heretofore had been without a name although the Harmony Mission is not located on the map, yet there can be no doubt but that the stream called Marais des Cygnes is the one on which the Mission is located. The stream Little Osage is called Neosho Creek on this map.

On Mitchell's map of 1840 the Little Osage and the Marmiton are shown in just about their true position and the Marmiton is called the Manitou Creek. The stream on which Harmony Mission is located is called Marais des Cygnes. From this date onward all the maps show the Marais des Cygnes.

In none of the maps, so far referred to does the name Osage appear in such a position as to give any indication where it was intended that the river should begin.

On the map published by Morse and Breese in 1844, however, the name Osage appears immediately below the junction of the two streams designated as Marais des Cygnes and the Little Osage Rivers. The one designated as Marais des Cygnes shows the town of Batesville, which seems to be a new name for Harmony Mission, just above its mouth. There seems to be good historical ground, therefore, for applying the term Marais des Cygnes to the stream which joins the Little Osage a short distance below Harmony Mission and to apply the term Osage to the combined Little Osage and the Marais des Cygnes.

I have found nothing to indicate who first applied the name Marais des Cygnes to the stream which is designated by it. The term signifies "swan marshes" and was given undoubtedly because of the broad, swampy lowlands lying along its valley. Hoping this information will be of some use to you, I am, 

Very truly yours,

Milton Whiting,

Chief of Bureau.

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Chicago, February 26, 1918.

Mr. W. O. Atkeson, Prop.,

Butler, Mo.

Dear Sir:

Answering your letter of the 15th will say Papinsville is 77 1/2 miles from Sibley in a straight line and about two miles above the mouth of the Marais des Cygnes River where it enters the Osage River. Papinsville is located on the Marais des Cygnes River.

Very truly yours,

Rand McNally & Company.

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United States Department of Agriculture,

Bureau of Soils, Washington, D. C,

February 2, 1918.

Mr. W. O. Atkeson, 

Butler, Mo. Dear Sir: 

Replying to your letter of January 22, I desire to say that the expression Marais des Cygnes in French and, as stated in my former letter, signifies "swan marshes." 

The stream was named Osage on our soil survey map of Bates County because the Geological Survey had used the same term on its Butler topographic sheet, which had been published some time before our soil survey report was published. We, as a rule, accept the nomenclature of the Geological Survey in areas which they have mapped previous to our work. In looking up the reason for their use of the term Osage rather than Marais des Cygnes, I find the United States Geographic Board adopted the term Osage for the Kansas portion of the river in 1897 and for the Missouri portion the following year. They did this without reference to the historical evidence in favor of the use of the expression Marais des Cygnes. In consulting with the Chairman of the Board on the matter he states that the decision was based on the fact that the river as a whole is the Osage river, that the branch in question is the larger part of the two forks and that the term Osage should therefore be extended to that larger branch while the smaller one should be designated in some other way, such designation, you know, would be the Little Osage. You will see, therefore, that the reason for their decision was purely one of convenience and had nothing to do with the historical evidence. In my last letter the historical evidence was given to you.

Very truly yours,

Milton Whiting,

Chief of Bureau.

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Rich Hill., Mo., January 22, 1918.

Friend Atkeson:

Did you ever get the facts of how Rich Hill came to be so named? As I got it direct from the founders I will give to you for what it is worth. About 1868 Osage Township having quite a population with no post office nearer than Papinsville, held a meeting to petition for a post office. In the meeting the question of a name was among the important matters discussed. Mr. E. W. Ratekin, who became the first postmaster suggested that as the post office was to be situated on the hill overlooking the Marais des Cygnes River which hill was known to be underlaid with from five to seven feet of coal, it would be one of the richest hills in the country, therefore he suggested that "Rich Hill" would be an appropriate name and his suggestion prevailed. The post office was secured and the first post office was in William Wears's farm dwelling, one and three-quarters miles north of present city.

At that same meeting Mr. Ratekin made the prophecy that it would only be a question of time until 100 cars of coal would be moved from that place in a day. This prophecy was considered extravagant at the time but nine years later three hundred cars of coal passed over the switches at the foot of that hill, from the mines there, in thirty-six hours.

Did you know further that the banner mine of the State of Mo. was No. 15 one mile South of Rich Hill? It is a fact. Hoisting an average of over three tons every minute for seven hours from a depth of 106 feet. It means this, a pit car run on the cage 106 down, raised to the surface, weighed and emptied into railway car every 20 seconds.

I may call to mind some other matters that may be of use to you.

Yours truly,

Jno. D. Moore.

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Rich Hill, Mo., January 28, 1918.

Mr. Atkeson: 

Replying to your inquiry, I will state that many years ago a railroad man, who was familiar with the matter in regard to the building of the road through here, told me that Mr. Talmage, who was general manager at the time, had four sons: Archie, Adrian, Arthur and Sheldon, and that the several towns of same name along the railway were named in rotation after these boys. I give you my information which I have no reason to doubt is correct.

Yours truly, 

Jno. D. Moore.

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NOTES ON THE SURVEY OF THE OSAGE BOUNDARY LINE

BY DAVID W. EATON.

The survey of the Osage Indian Boundary was charged to the Commission to treat with the Indians, &c., and they made a request that Wm. Rector, Surveyor General of the Territory of Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas, cause the same to be made. Here is Rector's reply:

"St. Louis, July 10, 1816.

"Gentlemen: I have received a note from Robert Walsh, Esq. (your secretary), informing me that it is your wish that I cause the survey of the Osage Boundary line from the Missouri River to the Arkansas to be commenced about the 1st of August. I have engaged a surveyor who is now in readiness to commence making the necessary arrangements preparatory to surveying that line; and who will be at Fort Clark prepared to commence the survey on the 1st day of August next or soon thereafter provided he is furnished with sufficient sum of money to purchase supplies to enable him to do that work.

"As I have not yet received instructions on the subject or authority to draw money to pay for surveyors, it rests with you to furnish the necessary sum. One Thousand Dollars, I presume, will be sufficient for that object.

"I am, gentlemen, with much respect, your obedient servant,

(Signed) "Wm. Rector."

July 13, 1816, Joseph C. Brown was appointed Principal Surveyor and Archibald Gamble as Assistant Surveyor to survey Indian Boundary. They were furnished with $1,000 with which they were instructed to purchase pack animals and the necessary outfit and to hire packers, hunters, chain-carriers, markers, &c., to whom they were to pay $1.00 per day. A strict account was to be kept and on return from work were to sell for cash the property in their hands.

They were instructed to ascertain the variation of the compass and were to run a true meridian, and if weather permitted were to make frequent observations for the variation of the needle. They were instructed to mark the end of every mile, and mark bearing trees where there was timber, and raise mounds on the prairies. They were to note objects of interest and were to return two plats thereof. Brown and Gamble were to do the work and receive such pay as was deemed just on completion of the work.

The surveyors were also asked to collect specimens of minerals found and wrap them and properly mark them and note in a book where they were found and the appearance of the place, &c.

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St. Louis, Mo., 28 January 1918.

Dear Sir: 

Miss Drumm sent me your letter of the 23d, and it reminded me that I promised to send you a copy of an extract from Victor Tixier's book, Voyage Aux Prairies Osages -- Louisiane et Missouri, 1839-40. Tixier was in your part of the State in 1840. He says: "Nous Vouliens partier le lendemains de bonne heure, pour nous vendre chez un Francais nomme' Colin, etable depuis plusieurs annees sur la riviere Osage, a trois milles au dessus d'Harmony Mission." That is: We wished to leave the next day at an early hour to go to the house of a Frenchman named Colin, who has been living for many years on the Osage River, three miles below Harmony Mission.

In another place he says: "The farm of Colin, situated on the Osage River, three miles below Harmony Mission."

Tixier visited the site of Harmony Mission, and says that the buildings were in ruins, and that an old farmer named Halley, who lived there, gave him a tolerably good dinner. Now, as to the name of the river, "Le Marais des Cygnes", or as I have usually seen it, "Le Marais du Cygne", there can be no question but that it is French. Le Marais des Cygnes means the Marsh of the Swans. The singular form, "Le Marais du Cygne", means the Marsh of the Swan. It is in that form that Whittier uses it in his poem -- "Le Marais du Cygne":

Whittier in a note says: "The massacre of unarmed and unoffending men, in Southern Kansas, took place near the Marais du Cygne of the French voyageurs." I do not quote Whittier as an authority on the form of the name, any more than I believe that the Kansas Jayhawkers and Red-legs were "unarmed and unoffending," but he is right about it being named by the French. In St. Louis there was in French times, a Marais Castor, or Beaver Marsh. In St. Charles County they still have the Marais Temps Clair (Fair weather Marsh or Swamp) and the Marias Croche or Crooked Marsh.

In Spanish there are two words that mean marsh, pantano and tremedal; so that the name in Spanish would be El Pantano (or El Tremedal) del Cisne, for the singular -- the Marsh of the Swan, and El Pantano (or El Tremedal) delos Cisnes, for the Marsh of the Swans.

Both the French Cygne and the Spanish Cisne come from the Latin Cygnus, as does our English word Cygnet. Tixier speaks of the river as the Osage but says that down to some miles below Harmony Mission it bears the name Marais des Cygnes.

If I can be of help to you in any way I am at your service.

Yours truly, 

(Signed) Walter B. Douglas. 

W. O. Atkeson, Esq.